Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Empress’s Memories

“Kill them all! Heavens, those few words possess such power—it's unimaginable…”
The entire crowd erupted, their minds still echoing with the words just spoken.
“Let all warriors assemble, destroy evil!”
In just eleven syllables, the eighteen demon gods were slain—dead beyond any hope of revival, their regenerative abilities rendered useless.
“This is divine wrath!”
Someone cried out, and instantly the crowd was shaken, their hearts screaming: “Divine wrath!”
The figure below, like a manifestation of the heavens, was irresistible, sweeping away the eighteen demon gods with overwhelming force, intimidating all who witnessed it.
One word suffices to describe it: divine wrath!
“To dispense justice on behalf of Heaven, to bestow blessings upon the world! I once thought he was no more than a powerful immortal, but now… he is far beyond that…”
“What realm is he truly in?”
No one understood. Those who had met Ye Qiu knew he was a peerless master.
Those who hadn’t, believed him an envoy of the heavens, and no one dared act rashly. They quietly watched the tavern below.
Even Liu Jianchen was stunned, his heart overwhelmed with awe.
He had thought the emergence of a female emperor was already astonishing enough, yet here was a hidden master beyond compare.
“Ye Qiu! Is it him? One leaf heralds autumn…”
Yue Chan was deeply puzzled, her gaze lingering strangely on the tavern below.
In her mind appeared the image of a filthy little beggar, lewdly ogling her.
The scene shifted, her thoughts drifting back ten years…
On the streets of the divine capital, a little girl wandered, separated from her family. Suddenly, a ragged little beggar popped out, staring at her with a lascivious grin.
“Wow, such a pretty little girl! Wait… ahem, miss, I can see from your bones you’re a martial prodigy, truly one in ten thousand. Look, I have some books here—would you like to buy one?”
The little girl stared at him, bewildered and anxious, a hint of fear in her eyes. She hesitated, “What kind of books are you selling?”
“Of course, they’re proper books! This one, ‘Divine Palm of Tathagata,’ only ten copper coins. If it doesn’t suit your temperament, I have others.
For example, ‘Nine Yin Bone Claw,’ ‘Solitary Nine Swords,’ ‘Dragon Subduing Eighteen Palms,’ ‘Soul-Losing Palm’—all sorts, you name it…”
The beggar, still ogling her, pulled out a stack of books, holding a scroll as well.
For the first time in her life, the little girl encountered such a situation, and was clearly flustered.
She examined the books closely; their titles were peculiar, could they truly be supreme secrets?
But she had no money and was separated from her family—she couldn’t buy them even if she wanted to.
The little girl hesitated, “But I don’t have any money…”
“No money?”
The beggar looked disappointed. He’d thought she was wealthy, but she turned out to be poor as well.
Yet, such an easily duped little girl—if he let this chance slip, wouldn’t it be a shame?
His eyes lit up as he suddenly said, “Heh, I won’t let you suffer. Pick one, I won’t take any money—just let me kiss you once.”
The beggar was excited inside. Such a rare little girl, though young, would surely grow up to be an extraordinary beauty.
Such an opportunity—how could he let it pass?
As soon as he said this, the little girl’s cheeks flushed. This little rogue dared so much!
She was naive, but not so easily fooled—yet those books truly enticed her.
After a brief inner struggle, she suddenly pointed to the scroll in his hand, “I want to see that painting…”
“The painting? What’s so special about a painting…”
The beggar was momentarily confused. The painting hardly seemed interesting.
But he didn’t mind. It was a random drawing of a chaotic green lotus, accompanied by a phrase:
“A single green lotus transcends the ages…”
In his view, it was merely child’s play, nothing worth looking at.
But if she wanted to see it, so be it! What would a child know? Let’s see how I can trick her…
“Here, take a look! I tell you, this painting… is the world’s most mysterious scroll. Only the truly destined can see its real meaning…”
He continued his spiel, but the little girl was unconvinced. Was a mere painting so extraordinary?
As she unfurled the scroll, her face turned pale, her heart shaken. Within the painting was contained a supreme immortal technique—the true legacy of the green lotus…
Such an arcane art was unheard of, hidden within a painting? Most astonishing of all, the painting was in the hands of a beggar?
And everything he said was true! The painting really held secrets, revealed only to a chosen few…
“A single green lotus transcends the ages—how domineering!”
Having discovered this painting, the little girl was tempted. If she could obtain it, her family could surely return to its glory days.
Even those few words conveyed an unstoppable aura, one that could swallow mountains and rivers—truly unimaginable.
But she had no money. Would she really let this little rogue have his way?
How infuriating! To think such people existed in the world…
“I want this painting…”
She steeled herself, declaring her resolve.
The beggar grinned wickedly, “Heh, you said it yourself—so don’t blame me for taking advantage…”
“What are you doing! I’m not ready, I’ll pay you…”
The girl panicked, about to say she’d pay once she found her family, but the beggar wouldn’t listen.
Such a pretty little girl—no amount of copper coins could compare.
“Ah, suddenly I feel a bit depraved, going after such a young girl… but it’s so thrilling!
Kiss and run—otherwise, if her family comes after me, I’m doomed…”
With that, he gave her a quick peck, tossed the painting, and dashed off.
As he ran, he shouted, “Kiss and run—so damn exciting…”
The girl hadn’t even had time to offer money before she was stolen a kiss. Her face blushed deeply as she looked up, only to see the beggar already far away…
She was furious, wanting to chase him, but it was too late.
In panic, she shouted, “What’s your name?”
From the bustling street came a reply, “Young master Ye Qiu—one leaf heralds autumn! Little girl, green mountains remain, flowing waters endure, we shall meet again…”
“Gone… gone?”
She stood in place, unable to return to herself for a long time, her mind holding the image of that filthy yet somewhat handsome beggar—he was really gone…
He was special, the most unusual person she had ever met, but he had run off after his mischief.
“Damn it, daring to act like a rogue toward me? Just wait—you’d better hope I never find you…”
From then on, she never saw the beggar again. He disappeared as if he had never existed, vanishing from the world.